2001–02 Premiership Rugby Explained

2001-2002 Zurich Premiership
Champions:Leicester Tigers (6th title)
Runnersup:Sale Sharks
Relegated:None
Matches:139
Attendance:1043625
Prevseason:2000–01
Nextseason:2002–03

The 2001-02 Zurich Premiership was the 15th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions.

Leeds Tykes were promoted to replace the relegated Rotherham.

Halfway through the season, with Leicester odds-on to win their fourth title in succession, it was decided that the winners of the playoffs would be crowned champions. After a public outcry at moving the goalposts halfway through the tournament, this was not followed through. Instead, they launched the Zurich Championship, a play off competition involving 8 teams below the champions, providing the winner with a 'wildcard' European qualification. Leicester did finish top of the league and were crowned champions; their fourth title in succession and their sixth overall. Gloucester won the eight team Zurich Championship play-offs in 2001–02.

Leeds Tykes finished bottom of the table but avoided relegation due to the inadequacies of Rotherham's ground.

Participating teams

Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area
BathRecreation Ground8,200Bath, Somerset
Bristol ShogunsMemorial Stadium12,100Bristol
GloucesterKingsholm11,000Gloucester, Gloucestershire
HarlequinsThe Stoop8,500Twickenham, London
Leeds TykesHeadingley Stadium22,250Leeds, West Yorkshire
Leicester TigersWelford Road16,250Leicester, Leicestershire
London IrishMadejski Stadium24,161Reading, Berkshire
London WaspsLoftus Road18,439Shepherd's Bush, London
Newcastle Falcons10,000
Northampton SaintsFranklin's Gardens11,700Northampton, Northamptonshire
SaleHeywood Road5,400Sale, Greater Manchester
SaracensVicarage Road22,000Watford, Hertfordshire

Results

Week 24

Playoff

Seeding

SeedTeamTable pointsWinsPoints diff
1Leicester Tigers8318+309
2Sale Sharks6914+72
3Gloucester6814+207
4London Irish5711+109
5Northampton Saints5612+80
6Newcastle Falcons5612+32
7London Wasps5412+12
8Bristol Shoguns509-32

Final

Leading scorers

Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.

Most points

Source:[1]

RankPlayerClubPoints
1 Barry EverittLondon Irish343
2 Ludovic MercierGloucester334
3 Charlie HodgsonSale Sharks273
4 Paul BurkeHarlequins258
5 Paul GraysonNorthampton Saints238
6 Felipe ContepomiBristol221
7 Jonny WilkinsonNewcastle Falcons215
8 Tim StimpsonLeicester Tigers212
9 Luke SmithSaracens194
10 Alex KingWasps183

Most tries

Source:[2]

RankPlayerClubTries
1 Mark CuetoSale Sharks13
2 Dan ScarbroughLeeds Tykes12
3 Steve BoothLeicester Tigers9
Felipe ContepomiBristol
Geordan MurphyLeicester Tigers
Junior ParamoreGloucester
Jason RobinsonSale Sharks
James Simpson-DanielGloucester
10 Ben CohenNorthampton Saints8
Michael StephensonNewcastle Falcons

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2001-02 Premiership Rugby top points scorers. ESPNScrum. 1 September 2020.
  2. Web site: 2001-02 Premiership Rugby top try scorers. ESPNscrum. 1 September 2020.